Sweet Potato Fridge Fudge (vegan, paleo, gluten free, dairy free)

We made this to celebrate Valentine's Day. An easy treat to make ahead of time that kids and parents can both enjoy.

 

On a dark chocolate scale, this would be more of a "milk" chocolate fudge. Because chocolate is a stimulant and my children are wildly affected by it, I kept the cacao powder to a minimum. Feel free to add another 1/4 cup cacao powder if you want darker (just be wary your kids may jump off the walls).

 

This is very similar to my sweet potato frosting and sweet potato pudding recipes. Can you tell I like to use vegetables in our dessert? Sweet potatoes have an affinity for that.

 

This is a very soft fudge but feel free to keep in freezer for harder fudge (or use raw cacao butter instead of extra virgin coconut oil).

 

 

Sweet Potato Fridge Fudge

2 sweet potatoes, cooked and still warm
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
Pinch of salt
6 Tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
1 tsp lucuma powder (optional)

 

1. Blend in your blender until thoroughly mixed.

2. Pour in a lined 8x8 baking dish.

3. Put in fridge (or freezer) until frozen.

 

Looking for other sweet potato recipes that are savory?

Try:

Baked Sweet Potato with Broccoli and Cashew Cheese Sauce

Sweet Potato Fennel Soup

Baked Sweet Potato with Broccoli and Cashew Ceese Sauce (vegan, healthier twist on classic baked potato)

A classic favorite with a nutritious (and vegan) spin.

Fall is always rich with color - the changing leaves, the Autumn sunsets, and the seemingly endless supply of squash and sweet potatoes.

Seriously, what's a prettier orange than the inside of a steamed sweet potato? If there is, I haven't seen it. This kind of vibrancy demonstrates a range of nutrients.

I wrote a haiku in demonstration:

 

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes orange
Broccoli green (vegan) cheese covered
I like comfort food.

 

...so it's not perfect but I never claimed to be a poet.

One evening (more like every evening) I needed something that was less than 30 minutes to make. Quick. Nutritious. Effortless.

... so I microwaved my sweet potatoes. *gasp* call out the nutrional police!
But it did only take 16ish minutes to make this. I'd much rather have this quick food than fast food.

 

Baked Sweet Potato with Steamed Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

 

Sweet Potatoes

Broccoli

Cashew Cheese Sauce, recipe below

 

Bake the sweet potatoes at 400 for an hour or until cooked. Alternatively, you can also use your slow cooker or microwave to cook the sweet potatoes.

Steam the broccoli.

Meanwhile, make cheese sauce.

Cashew Cheese Sauce

1/2 cup cashews

2 cups broth

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

3 TB amino acids (sub coconut aminos and punch of salt for paleo version)

2 large carrots

1 TB chia seeds

Pinch of oregano

Pinch of nutmeg, optional

 

1. Heat the broth over the stove.

2. Blend all ingredients in blender.

3. Pour over baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

 

 

Do you like my plate? We went to a local pottery painting place! It was very fun and I love getting to eat off something we helped create!

Sweet Potato Frosting

This is something a little new - up until now. I've spent hours creating one post - the pictures consuming most of the time. Pictures have always been my forte but I realized you sweet readers were missing out on some of my favorite recipes or tips simply because I couldn't make the time to take photos and edit them. Hence, the instagram picture... At first, I hesitated. Surely I was not going to inundate my blog with instagram pictures. But as a busy mom of two and taking on a new business with my husband, I realized the beauty of simplicity. Instagram can be really fun and really wonderful. Plus it makes it a little easier to get a post out there on the world wide web. I want to be able to share with you but sometimes I can't get my camera/spend time editing photos because the baby is fussy or my four year old needs help. Of course, I will continue to post my old-style (wonderfully edited photos and all) but I wanted to let you know, you might see a different kind/way of posting from this point forward - now being a great time to start since my computer is on the fritz and I can't get the post I originally photographed.

And now to the recipe, this is inspired by one of my favorite cookbooks - Nourishing Meals: Healthy Gluten-Free Recipes for the Whole Family by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. If you don't have this book, you seriously need to buy it. It helped me with introducing foods to my now four year old. It also describes the symptoms associated with gluten and dairy intolerance (wish I had known these growing up - would have made my life so much easier). Big Blue Eyes and I recently made the hazelnut gingersnap cookie dough recipe out of it and baked it with the cousins. Totally yummy!

Here is my version of her dairy-free cream cheese frosting. I love the orange of the sweet potatoes! It's so fun without any fake dyes!

Sweet Potato Frosting
2 Steamed sweet Potatoes (still warm)
6 TB coconut oil
2 tsp tapioca flour or arrowroot starch
1/2 cup maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Blend in blender and put in fridge to thicken. Then it can be spread over cakes or squeezed onto cupcakes (pictured here with my vanilla paleo cupcake - anyone interested?).

Enjoy!

And by the way there is a Book Promo on Amazon, use code HOLIDAY30 for 30% off one book shipped and sold by amazon. Ends Nov 30th.

Sweet Potato Fennel Soup

With 3 ingredients, this blended soup is comforting to the soul and easy in the kitchen. Fennel adds a lovely herb flavor to these beta-carotene rich potatoes.

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Initially, I wanted to make a soup that would be nourishing for new moms. My sister and a few friends have had new babies this Fall. It must be the season! And I wanted something that would be delicious and comforting to these ladies and their bundles of breastfed blessings.

Fennel (as mentioned here) is really great for digestion. As an added benefit for new mommies intent on breastfeeding, it can also help calm fussy babies (as carried in the breastmilk). Cinnamon, heavy spices and dairy can be extra-aggravating for breastfed infants but thankfully herbs like fennel can be soothing.

Having a surplus of sweet potatoes in my pantry and fennel on the brain (from another recipe I hope to post soon), I knew these flavors were destined for one great soup and was I ever right! I brought this soup with a lentil salad to my sisters and the next day she called for the recipe.

It also travels well. When using the bouillon cubes, I use three cups of water when blending and store in large mason jars. When reheating, add another cup of water to the jar and swirl around to get the extra soup clinging to the sides.

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Sweet Potato Fennel Soup
4 sweet potatoes (which I think are technically yams if they are bright orange in color)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, whole *
2 cubes Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with herbs** + 4 cups boiling water
      or 4 cups vegetable broth

1. Roast sweet potatoes in preheated 450 degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until completely tender.
2. Scoop the sweet potato out of the flesh and add to high speed blender with fennel seeds and broth. Blend and serve!

Enjoy!

*This soup may also be made with fennel bulb for a richer fennel flavor. Roast the fennel bulb with the sweet potatoes and add 1/4 tsp fennel seeds instead of the 1/2 tsp.

**I've bought Rapunzel vegetable bouillon from Azure Standard and Vitacost (here's a $10 credit for your first purchase). I buy my fennel seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs.

I'm finishing up shopping and DIYing for Christmas. We just do stockings at our house and it's been fun to find healthy stocking stuffers. If you're looking for some more stocking stuffers consider checking out your local health food store or shopping online at amazon. Some fun and healthy ideas are Arnica Gel(which is only $4.67 when coupon is clipped below price listed - almost half the price of your local drug store), Cranberry Tablets, Astragalus Root Capsules (thankfully this comes in a pack of four so can fill many stockings), Rescue Remedy, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil(comes in pack of 2), and soy candles.